History in Structure

Memorial Hall

A Grade II Listed Building in Criccieth, Gwynedd

More Photos »
Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

Coordinates

Latitude: 52.9201 / 52°55'12"N

Longitude: -4.2321 / 4°13'55"W

OS Eastings: 250030

OS Northings: 338190

OS Grid: SH500381

Mapcode National: GBR 5K.N4FL

Mapcode Global: WH44D.YVWQ

Plus Code: 9C4QWQC9+35

Entry Name: Memorial Hall

Listing Date: 12 December 1994

Last Amended: 12 December 1994

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 15367

Building Class: Commemorative

Also known as: Memorial Hall, Pont Y Cwrt (N Side)
Memorial Hall Cinema

ID on this website: 300015367

Location: Set back from the main road and prominently sited on the E side of Y Maes.

County: Gwynedd

Community: Criccieth (Cricieth)

Community: Criccieth

Built-Up Area: Criccieth

Traditional County: Caernarfonshire

Tagged with: Cinema

Find accommodation in
Criccieth

History

The building was erected as a memorial to the First World War, the cost raised by voluntary subscription, donations and fund raising. It was designed by D.O.M.Roberts, of Owen Roberts and Son, architects, of Porthmadog. The foundation stone was laid in 1922 by the Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, and the building was formally opened in 1925. It has traditionally served as the principal venue for entertainments in the resort.

Exterior

Roughcast render with swept slate roofs. The style is a fusion of Arts and Crafts in its attention to expressive planning and massing, and Art Nouveau in its fluid forms. Hipped gabled entrance front faces the main road, the gable clasped between polygonal turrets. Shallow segmentally arched entrance with paired doors flanked by narrow 2-light mullioned windows. Balcony with bowed iron rail carried on bold stone brackets to first floor, with 2-light French window, and central canted turret corbelled out above, with windows in its lower section, and a clock above. High-set upper storey windows to either side of 2-lights with central mullions. Battered buttresses to either side of the corner turrets have narrow windows to each floor. Return elevation facing Y Maes is divided into 5 irregular bays by battered buttresses: central bay cuts through the roofline with a high set hipped dormer over 4-light mullioned window. Other bays have similar mullioned windows of 3 and 4-lights below the overhanging eaves, and to ground floor, with segmentally arched side entrance towards the right. Similarly detailed side entrance in return elevation to Lon Ednyfed, which is also articulated by battered buttresses, with high-set upper windows including a dormer. Separately roofed single storeyed halls advanced from this elevation include the original billiards hall facing the main road with a canted bay and entrance in angle with main hall.

Interior

The building comprises a large main hall with gallery and stage, which is entered from the front via a circular inner hall - the Hall of Memory. This is flanked by vestibules and cloakrooms, with stairs leading to the gallery at either side. Kitchen, committee room and the former billiards room form extensions to the main hall to the E. The main hall employs a Neo-Classical style which is influenced by the Art Deco movement: wide segmentally arched ceiling divided by plaster bay-leaf ribs, with similar enrichment to rosettes surrounding vents. Raking gallery is curved in plan, and has modillion cornice and acanthus frieze. Enriched concave mouldings to proscenium arch of stage. The Hall of Memory is a circular inner hall, with curved oak doors with glazed upper panels (laurel leaf motifs in stained glass), oak dado panelling and black and white tiled floor. Its walls are articulated by plasterwork Ionic pilasters and a beaded cornice, and there is a shallow plaster rosette in the ceiling. Between the pilasters are the oak memorial panels commemorating the dead of both World Wars.

Reasons for Listing

The Hall is an excellent example of its type, and a striking design which uses a neo-vernacular exterior intended to be in sympathy with the character of its surroundings, to house a dramatically modern interior. The circular Hall of Memory is an especially notable feature of the design.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Church of Saint Deiniol
    Set back from the main A497 road in a disused churchyard towards the centre of the town at Y Maes, and close to the junction with Lon Ednyfed.
  • II Rectory
    In grounds set back from the NE side of the open green of Y Maes, close to Holywell Terrace.
  • II Nant y Felin
    Set back from the road immediately E of the Church of Saint Deiniol.
  • II Cafe Cwrt
    To the South of Stryd Fawr set back on the W side of the open space of Y Maes.
  • II Hafod y Bryn
    Diagonally opposite the Church of Saint Catherine, where the lane turns to the E.
  • II Capel y Traeth
    Close to the upper end of Penpaled Road, near the level crossing.
  • II Gates, Wall and Railings at Capel Seion
    Encloses 2 sides of a small forecourt in the front of Capel Seion.
  • II Penpaled
    Immediately SE of Capel Seion.

BritishListedBuildings.co.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact BritishListedBuildings.co.uk for any queries related to any individual listed building, planning permission related to listed buildings or the listing process itself.

British Listed Buildings is a Good Stuff website.